Accidents Caused By Someone SpeedingThe consequences of speeding causes more serious accidents in Florida than anything else. Find out why.

Speeding—driving faster than posted speed limits– is the most frequent violation associated with fatal car accidents in the United States.

Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that when speed limits were raised by many states in 1996, motor vehicle fatalities increased approximately 15 percent on Interstate highways in those states. Driving 25 percent above the posted speed limit increases the likelihood of an accident by six times.

How Speeding Affects Traffic Fatalities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that that 30 percent of all fatal accidents are “speed related.” It is a matter of simple physics: when speed increases from 40 mph to 60 mph, the energy released in a crash more than doubles. According to the National Safety Council, 13,000 lives are lost every year because of speeding.

Speeding Increases Traffic Fatalities in a Number of Ways:

Increases the distance required to stop a vehicle in emergency situations

Reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway

Increases the severity of a crash when it happens

Reduces the effectiveness of restraint devices like air bags, seat belts, crumple zones and side beams

Increases the probability of death, disﬁgurement, or debilitating injury

Increases the chance that other road users will misjudge how fast you are traveling

The Bottom Line About Speeding

Here’s the bottom line when it comes to speeding: The faster you drive, the more likely you are to crash and the greater the risk of dying or suffering serious injuries. Regardless of the cause of a crash, each driver’s decision to drive at a particular speed directly affects the force of impact and possibly whether any impact happens at all. Speeding puts driver, passengers, and other people with whom you are sharing the road at risk.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident in Florida caused by someone who was speeding, you may be able to get a monetary recovery to compensate you for your losses. The best course of action is to hire an experienced attorney.